Flash! Australian Commonwealth Games Trials: Day Five Finals: Leisel Jones Blasts 1:05.71 to Destroy the 100 Breaststroke World Record

By Stephen J. Thomas

MELBOURNE, Australia, February 3. EVERY so often you get to witness a great swim doing this job and this week it’s really hard to split between the two world records produced by Leisel Jones. On Wednesday night Jones took 1.18 seconds off her own 200 breaststroke standard but tonight Jones slashed .49 off Jessica Hardy’s mark to steal the limelight from her club mate Libby Lenton, who also broke a world record in the 100 freestyle earlier in the week.

In tonight’s race Jones was taken out very fast by Jade Edmistone, the 50 breaststroke world record-holder. Edmistone turned first in 31.24 with Jones next in 31.37 but Jones, in just superb form, powered past Edmistone by the 75-meter mark to touch in 1:05.71. Edmistone still managed to keep her form to clock 1:07.03, moving past Brooke Hanson as the second fastest all-time Aussie performer. Tarnee White took the bronze (1:08.25) just in front of Hanson (1:08.33).

Jones said after her race that she had expected to get under 1:06 having worked very hard with her coach Stephan Widmer to improve her back-end speed in recent months, but not down to the new level she produced tonight. Jones felt of the two swims her 200 was the better swim and felt she had become more relaxed over the longer race this past year.

A familiar trio dominated the women’s 50 freestyle. Libby Lenton, the newly crowned world-record holder over the 100 freestyle held out a world-class field to take her third one-lap title in a PR of 24.58 from Commonwealth record-holder Alice Mills (24.92) and Jodie Henry (24.96). Olympic finalist Michelle Engelsman missed out, finishing fourth in 25.30.

Dual Australian record-holder Brenton Rickard had a tough battle but just got to the wall ahead of world champs teammate Mark Riley to add the 50 breaststroke to the 100 he won earlier in the week. Rickard clocked 28.22 to edge out Riley (28.27) and the ever-improving Christian Sprenger (28.30).

In the women’s 200 backstroke the former British representative Jo Fargus gave a good indication she will be a useful addition to the Aussie team at the Commonwealth Games after powering away in the final 50 to record 2:11.99 – third fastest all-time Aussie performer. Fargus, who has spent the last four years at USC, has deferred finishing her studies to compete for Australia. Sophie Edington, normally better known over the shorter events, took the silver in a PR of 2:12.68 just ahead of Athens Olympian Frances Adcock (2:12.83).

In the dorsal sprint, Giaan Rooney broke her own Commonwealth and Australian record taking just .03 off her previous mark to touch in 28.42. It was the fourth consecutive title in this event for the world champion. Sophie Edington backed up in this event and took another silver in a PR of 28.65 from training partner Tay Zimmer (28.98).

The determination of AIS based North Queenslander Linda Mackenzie was again on display tonight in the 400 freestyle after the 22-year-old had edged out golden girl Libby Lenton in the four-lap race earlier in the meet. Mackenzie had qualified way out in lane seven and found herself over two seconds behind the leaders in fourth place at the halfway mark. Known for her strong backhalf, she gradually reeled in the distance getting past world champs rookie Bronte Barrett under the flags to record a very solid 4:09.33. It was her third consecutive 200-400 double. Sixteen year-old Barrett, who picked-up silver in the 800 relay in Montreal, was just a stroke behind in a PR of 4:09.52 but her time will come. Another teenager, Queenslander Kylie Palmer swam a PR of 4:10.66 for the bronze.

Just weeks out from his 30th birthday Adam Pine edged out Michael Klim under the flags to take the 100 fly in a PR of 52.71. It was his first national long course title in more than a decade of elite swimming behind the two Aussie butterfly stars Klim and Geoff Huegill. The time should be good enough to see Pine selected for a record fourth Commonwealth Games. Klim finished a busy week in second place clocking 53.06 ahead of Andrew Richards (53.40).

Queenslander Leith Brodie took his first long course title when he got past title-holder Adam Lucas in the final stretch to touch in a PR of 2:01.13 with Lucas in 2:02.65 in the 200 IM. The winner of the 400 IM, Travis Nederpelt took the bronze in 2:04.36.

Veteran Matt Welsh took his seventh consecutive 100 backstroke title in 55.21 – his slowest winning time over that period – holding off rising star Andrew Lauterstein (55.47) and Ashley Delaney (56.08). Welsh’s Commonwealth and Aussie record stands at 53.78.

There was only one semifinal on the program tonight:

Men’s 50 Freestyle

Aussie record-holder Brett Hawke and four-time national champion in this event was fastest for the final tomorrow when he splashed 22.51 in the first semifinal with rising star Eamon Sullivan next, taking the second semifinal in a PR of 22.54. Ashley Callus, a two-time champ in this event, was the only other swimmer under 23 seconds, clocking 22.69. Auburn-based Aussie Matt Targett made the final in fifth place with a 23.03.

MEN'S 100M BACKSTROKE
1 55.21 Welsh Matt,76
2 55.47 Lauterstein Andrew,87
3 56.08 Delaney Ashley,86
4 56.09 Rolff Ethan,82
5 56.18 Arnamnart Daniel,90
6 56.41 Stoeckel Hayden,84
7 56.55 Watson Josh,77
8 56.61 Jackson Michael,85

MEN'S 50M BREASTSTROKE
1 28.22 Rickard Brenton,83
2 28.27 Riley Mark,82
3 28.30 Sprenger Christian,85
4 28.96 Crook Nathan,79
5 29.00 Stacey James,88
6 29.14 Paccagnan Rene,78
7 29.40 O'Regan Kieran,85
8 29.84 Luca Bryan,88

MEN'S 100M BUTTERFLY
1 52.71 Pine Adam,76
2 53.06 Klim Michael,77
3 53.40 Richards Andrew,83
4 53.79 Dodd Tim,83
5 53.84 Cohen Jason,82
6 54.16 Taylor Joshua,83
7 54.18 Krogh Joshua,82
DQ Gambin Ryan,85

MEN'S 200M INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY
1 2:01.13 Brodie Leith,86
2 2:02.65 Lucas Adam,83
3 2:04.36 Nederpelt Travis,85
4 2:04.97 Parkes Stephen,88
5 2:05.05 Bacon Mitchell,83
6 2:05.53 Paul Louis,82
7 2:07.02 Ashby Sam,89
8 2:08.75 Cordner Nick,86

WOMEN'S 50M FREESTYLE
1 24.58 Lenton Lisbeth,85
2 24.92 Mills Alice,86
3 24.96 Henry Jodie,83
4 25.30 Engelsman Michelle,79
5 25.60 Schlanger Melanie,86
6 25.86 Mitchell Melissa,87
7 25.89 Foster Sally,85
8 26.48 Tomlinson Louise,81

WOMEN'S 400M FREESTYLE
1 4:09.33 MacKenzie Linda,83
2 4:09.52 Barratt Bronte,89
3 4:10.66 Palmer Kylie,90
4 4:10.81 McCleery Ashleigh,87
5 4:15.97 Gorman Melissa,85
6 4:16.25 Graham Elka,81
7 4:17.25 Paton Sarah-L,86
8 4:22.70 Boxwell Kelly,87

WOMEN'S 50M BACKSTROKE
1 28.42 Rooney Giaan,82
2 28.65 Edington Sophie,85
3 28.98 Zimmer Tayliah,85
4 29.32 Nevell Belinda,83
5 29.95 Morgan Melissa,85
6 30.00 Nay Meagen,88
7 30.22 Bird Katie,88
8 30.49 Hocking Belinda,90

200 METRES BACKSTROKE
1 2:11.99 Fargus Joanna,82
2 2:12.68 Edington Sophie,85
3 2:12.83 Adcock Frances,84
4 2:12.85 Zimmer Tayliah,85
5 2:13.43 Leane Karina,85
6 2:13.92 Carroll Lara,86
7 2:14.87 Morgan Melissa,85
8 2:16.19 Nay Meagen,88

100 METRES BREASTSTROKE
1 1:05.71WR Jones Leisel,85
2 1:07.03 Edmistone Jade,82
3 1:08.25 White Tarnee,81
4 1:08.33 Hanson Brooke,78
5 1:09.46 Katsoulis Sarah,84
6 1:09.52 Foster Sally,85
7 1:11.60 Hartmann Lisa,87
8 1:12.93 Waitzer Natasha,87

jones after win, looks to Jade Edmistone , Brooke Hanson leaves pool

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